[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 116 (Thursday, September 9, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1827]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      HONORING MTSU FOOTBALL'S ADVANCEMENT TO DIVISION 1-A STATUS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BART GORDON

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 8, 1999

  Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Middle 
Tennessee State University football team's advancement into Division 1-
A play, which officially took place on September 1. The move is one the 
university, its faculty and staff, its students, its alumni, and the 
entire MTSU community can relish.
  The Blue Raiders football program has put 17 players into the 
National Football League. The program has also produced 20 All-American 
players and 14 Ohio Valley Conference ``Players of the Year.''
  MTSU football reached a number of milestones while competing as a 
Division 1-AA team in the Ohio Valley Conference. The team drew a 
school and OVC record 27,568 fans for the 1998 home opener against 
Tennessee State University. It ranked fourth in attendance nationally 
in Division 1-AA in 1998. And the university has a new football stadium 
that can handle nearly 31,000 fans to usher in its Division 1-A play. 
Coach ``Boots'' Donnelly also ended a stellar career (136-81-1) with 
MTSU at the conclusion of the 1998 season.
  As a Division 1-AA football team, MTSU finished in the top 10 of the 
national polls on 10 different occasions, taking the Number 1 final 
ranking in 1985 and 1990. And under legendary coach Charles ``Bubber'' 
Murphy, the MTSU Blue Raiders football team participated in the 1956 
Refrigerator Bowl, the 1960 and 1961 Tangerine bowls, and the 1964 
Grantland Rice Bowl.
  I congratulate the university's move into the highly competitive 
Division 1-A football arena and wish each and every player, coach and 
fan good luck in this debut season.

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